On October 28, 2014, OCR and the South Orange-Maplewood School District (District) reached an Agreement to ensure that the District is providing African American students with equal access to its college and career readiness courses and programs at the high school level.  The Agreement also ensures that the District will prepare African American students at the elementary and middle school levels to participate in higher level learning opportunities.  The Agreement, entered into prior to the conclusion of OCR’s investigation, resolved OCR’s compliance review.  The District agreed to: retain a consultant with expertise in addressing the underrepresentation of African American students in college and career preparatory courses to examine and make recommendations to address the root cause(s) of any disparity in enrollment of African American students in these programs and courses; conduct a review and self-assessment of its current programs and courses offered in the District to identify any potential barriers to enrollment; and develop a plan for implementing recommendations made by the consultant as well as eliminating barriers to college and career preparatory courses identified as a result of its self-assessment and survey of students and parents/guardians.

Read the Press Release | Read the Resolution Letter PDF (320K) | Read Resolution Agreement PDF (203K).